Helix Mattress Review (2026): The Scoop on 4 Popular Models

Features

• Type: Hybrid 
• Firmness: Medium
• Best sleeping positions: Side, stomach and back

Key takeaways from our testing

Cushioned comfort at an affordable price. As part of the Helix’s Core collection, the Helix Midnight is $1,479 for a queen, about $1,000 less than the Luxe version. This lower price reflects the fact that this bed does not include added comfort layers or a plush pillow top. Even still, it earned an above-average score for pressure relief across sleeping positions. Allison, a 52-year-old side sleeper and tester who prefers a firmer mattress, said the bed is very comfortable and its soft support feels like a “slight hug.”

Supportive design helps keep your spine aligned. This bed lacks the zoned lumbar support of the Helix Midnight Luxe, though it still has a supportive coil base. Allison said her hips and spine felt aligned when lying on her stomach, and her back didn’t arch. For pressure relief, she awarded the Helix Midnight a very good score for side sleeping, a near-perfect score for back sleeping and a satisfactory score for stomach sleeping. For spinal alignment, Allison gave it perfect scores for side and stomach sleeping and a very good score for back sleeping.

Near-perfect temperature regulation — but slippery cover. Allison said her least favorite thing about the Helix Midnight was the cover. The bed was cool to the touch during our testing and earned a perfect score in our cooling gun test. But she thought it was too slippery. “I feel like I could almost slide off,” she said. Covers with cooling technology often have a slick, slippery feel, and our testing did not incorporate sheets. Adding cotton sheets can help lessen this slippery feeling — just consider avoiding materials like satin, which can be slippery, too — but thicker sheets may reduce the cooling effect. The slippery mattress cover also didn’t help its weak edges. “I need to use my hands to get up,” she said, giving edge support a subpar rating.

Allison also said this bed has lackluster motion isolation, noting when her partner got up or rolled over, she felt like she was “being jostled in a car.” She gave it a middling score on that measure.

Best for Pain: Helix Dusk Luxe

Score: 9.9 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• Very good pressure relief in all tested sleeping positions
• High bounce 
• Top-level cooling

Cons

• May feel too firm for some older adults
• Pricey

Features

• Type: Hybrid
• Firmness: Medium
• Best sleeping positions: Side, back and stomach

Key takeaways from our testing

Impressive pressure relief. The Helix Dusk Luxe has a medium level of firmness and can offer pressure relief for any sleeping position. That’s why it’s also one of the best mattresses for shoulder pain. Karin, a 54-year-old side sleeper and tester who experiences aches and pains, said this bed had good pressure relief in all sleeping positions. While lying on her back, she said she felt the plush topper comfortably hugging her lower back. She also said the bed had “great bounce,” which helped her get out of bed without having to push herself up with her arms. She gave this bed a very good rating in all sleeping positions.

Stellar heat regulation. Hot sleepers will likely appreciate how well the Helix Dusk Luxe regulates temperature. It earned a perfect score on our cooling gun test — retaining 12.6 degrees of heat after being warmed — which was the second-best performance of beds on this list (after the Helix Midnight).

May feel firmer than advertised. Despite the company’s categorization of this bed as medium (6 out of 10 on the firmness scale), Karin said it felt more like an 8 out of 10 on the scale. That’s likely because Karin is on the lighter end of the average-weight range. Remember that firmness and comfort can be subjective. Lighter- or average-weight sleepers, for instance, may perceive a mattress as firmer because they’re exerting less weight on the bed. If you prefer a softer mattress, consider the Helix Moonlight or Helix Sunset. 

Another potential con for some shoppers? The cost: This bed retails for a higher price than those in the Core collection.

Best Firm: Helix Dawn

Score: 9.9 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• Firm profile is great for back sleepers
• Excellent edge support
• Bouncy and responsive

Cons

• Middling pressure relief for stomach sleepers 
• Midrange adjustable base compatibility 

Features

• Type: Hybrid
• Firmness: Firm
• Best sleeping positions: Back and side sleepers 

Key takeaways from our testing

Superior spinal alignment for back sleepers and some side sleepers. The Helix Dawn is the only bed categorized as firm on this list, as it’s designated an 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It earned perfect spinal alignment scores for side and back sleeping, and an average score for stomach sleepers. Donna, a 60-year-old side sleeper and tester who experiences shoulder pain, said her weight felt evenly distributed when lying on her back and there was no pressure buildup. She also was comfortable on her side. “I’m actually surprised,” she said, adding that there was no pressure on her shoulders and hips. Why did it perform so well for some sleeping positions? The pillow top on this mattress keeps it from being too firm, Donna said. However, given its firmness rating, it may be too firm for some older adults, especially lighter-weight stomach sleepers and side sleepers who prefer to sink into a bed.

Sturdy edge support. Donna gave the Helix Dawn a perfect score in edge support, noting she felt supported while lying on the edge. She compared sitting on the edge of this bed to sitting in a chair. This mattress is also extremely responsive and excelled in our bounce test. It bounced 21.5 inches, second only to the Helix Dusk Luxe at 23 inches. She said the superior edge support and responsiveness of this bed make it easy to stand up.

Average pressure relief for stomach sleepers. Donna gave a decent rating for pressure relief for stomach sleepers. She said she felt supported, but there was pressure across her chest when she was in that position. This bed also earned an average score for compatibility with adjustable bases because there was gapping between the bed and base in reading and zero-gravity mode.

How much do Helix mattresses cost?

The Helix mattresses in this review cost between $1,479 and $2,499 for queen sizes. See below for a breakdown of these models.

While Helix offers multiple mattress options, in general, the price of each bed is consistent across tiers. For example, most mattresses in the Core collection are $1,479 for a queen — across nearly all models — and are the most affordably priced mattresses from the company. 

The Luxe mattresses make up the company’s most popular collection, and generally cost $2,499 for a queen. Meanwhile, the Elite mattresses typically are around $4,371 for a queen. 

That said, the Helix Plus is an exception when it comes to pricing: It is $1,599 for a Core queen, $2,624 for a Luxe queen, and $4,371 for an Elite queen. While the company offers standard sizes in Twin/Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Short Queen and RV King, the Helix Kids is available only as a Core twin or full model, and starts at $750.

Our sleep survey found 60 percent of people who had bought a Helix mattress in the last three years were satisfied with the price they paid for their bed. If you like the company but are looking for a lower price point, Helix does run sales. We’ve seen the Helix Midnight and Helix Dawn discounted to $999 for a queen. And we’ve seen beds in the Luxe collection discounted to around $1,799. 

Optional GlactioTex cooling cover or pillow top

Most Helix mattresses performed well in our cooling tests, earning above-average scores. For hot sleepers seeking more active cooling, the company offers additional relief via a cooling pillow top or cover that can be added to beds in the Core and Luxe collections. These additions include upgraded cooling technology that Helix calls GlacioTex, designed to draw heat away from the mattress.

The GlacioTex cooling pillow top, available for the Core mattresses, costs an additional $375 for a queen. Meanwhile, the GlacioTex cooling cover for Luxe beds is an additional $250. The Luxe beds already have a pillow top, so you’d only buy the cooling cover for this model.

You can add an optional cooling bundle to a queen-size Luxe mattress purchase for $499. This feature includes a GlacioTex cooling cover with an addition that the company calls a CoolForce layer, with both components integrated into the bed’s construction. This CoolForce layer is not available to Core models. 

Is a Helix mattress right for you? 

Helix has one of the largest mattress lineups of any company we’ve tested. That means you have lots of options. If you’re trying to narrow down your choices but are having trouble deciding which one may work best, you can ask yourself these questions.

Am I on a strict budget?

Price is a real consideration. If you want a hybrid bed that’s under $1,500, for instance, consider the company’s Core tier. We like the Helix Midnight for medium firmness, and the Helix Dawn for a firm feel. Both beds retail for $1,479 for a queen, before any discounts. 

Am I a hot sleeper?

The Helix Dusk Luxe, Helix Dawn and Helix Midnight aced our cooling tests and can be great options for hot sleepers. Getting too warm at night is linked to lower sleep quality and frequent waking, says Michael J. Breus, a clinical sleep specialist in Manhattan Beach, California.

He recommends looking for a mattress that combines several cooling technologies such as covers made with cooling fibers, copper infusions in the foam that help to wick heat or innerspring coils that promote airflow. “The idea is one feature can reduce heat buildup and another can help disperse it,” he says. 

If you’re looking for even more cooling in a Helix bed, you can add a cooling pillow top to mattresses in the Core collection or a cooling cover to those in the Luxe collection. The Elite line already includes the cooling cover and heat-transfer layer, though you might not want to upgrade to this model based on cooling alone. The Elite collection costs $4,371 for a queen. Meanwhile, the most expensive cooling bundle is $499, so an add-on is the lower-priced upgrade if cooling features are your main priority.

Do I want additional back support?

If you’re looking for a mattress that provides extra back support, consider the zoned support coils in the Luxe collection. Both the Helix Midnight Luxe and Dusk Luxe have a steel coil layer with lumbar support. That said, if you’re dealing with back pain or another kind of pain, also consider talking with your health care provider about your situation and whether a new mattress — and any particular features — could work for you. For example, the Helix Dusk Luxe earned our designation as the best mattress for sciatica because it balances pressure relief and spinal support. 

Do I want a firm bed?

While the medium-firm Helix Dusk Luxe felt firmer to our tester, the Helix Dawn is the only mattress designated as firm in this review. Helix rates this firm bed an 8 out of 10, which can make it an attractive option for back sleepers who want more support. You can find the Dawn and other firm mattresses on our roundup of the best firm mattresses.

Am I a side sleeper?

If so, the Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe are two beds that may work for side sleepers. The Helix Midnight line has a medium feel and includes pressure-relieving memory foam to cushion pressure points, including the shoulders, hips and knees.

FAQs

What is the lifespan of a Helix mattress?

A Helix mattress should last about seven to 10 years, which is typical for a well-made hybrid mattress. Helix currently lists its mattresses as covered by a limited lifetime warranty, but a warranty does not necessarily mean the mattress will feel comfortable or supportive for life.   

Is the Helix Midnight good for back pain?

The Helix Midnight has a supportive layer of individually wrapped coils that some older adults may find helpful for reducing back pain. However, if you have questions about back pain, including about whether a particular bed may help, consider speaking with your health care provider about what may work best for your situation. If you’re just looking for targeted back support, you also may consider the Midnight Luxe, which features a zoned coil design that provides firmer support under your back and hips.

Where can you buy a Helix mattress?

You can buy a mattress on the Helix website or in brick-and-mortar stores across the United States. You can search the company’s showroom locator to see if a store in your area carries their beds.

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.